an award winning christmas

Well Christmas is over, the gifts all exchanged and unwrapped. Well for the most part anyway. We still have to see our real life BFF's Robin & Tim which we were supposed to do last night, but we were stymied by a sick child (hers this time). We were all spoiled, the adults not as much as the kids, but that's the way it's supposed to be isn't it?

And the awards go to:

The yep I am truly a grownup now Award goes to the Shark carpet sweeper. Yes I did request a carpet sweeper as my Christmas present and I'll tell you why. I hate to vacuum and I cannot stress that enough. What I hate more than vacuuming is getting out our central vac to actually do it. I hate that central vac even more than I hate the actual vacuuming. The truth of the matter is I have two kids who have many more years left in that crumb producing stage of their lives and a living room carpet that does not hide dirt. I love my carpet sweeper. And I say that without ever having used it once. Michael, however has used it every day since it's arrival. Apparently he's under the impression it was/is a gift for him. So really it's the gift that keeps on giving.

The relive my childhood award goes to Abby and Maya's Cabbage Patch Kid dolls. I was at the ideal age when CPK's originally exploded on scene. Every little girl my age wanted one of those distinctive boxes under the tree that year. I'm not sure what my Mom had to go through to get me mine all those years ago, but I truly do appreciate it.



The most played with gifts amongst the 5 and under set are, hands down the mega bloks and the Little People. Prior to this Christmas we had a small selection of mega bloks that the girls routinely fought over. This Christmas their mega bloks numbers easily quadrupled and guess what, they're still fighting over them. They do much better with the Little People.



Tug at the heart strings award goes to the girls (and mostly Granny) for my family pendant. There may have been a tear or two shed opening that one. Also our new teddy bear that Grandma Linda had made out of Papa Joyce's coat.



Favourite gift to give award goes to "the project", hands down. The project is Michael's first foray into the world of wood working. It is a hall mirror with a drawer that Grandma Linda and I had seen at a craft sale in October. A quick sketch on a scrap of paper by me convinced Mike he could build this. I have to say, his turned out much nicer than the one we saw originally. And yes, Grandma Linda was more than suitably impressed.



They've officially given up on me award goes to the two pairs of jammies and the two pairs of track/yoga pants which encompassed all my new clothes this Christmas. I guess after years of popping in to find me in jammies or trackers they've finally decided just to go with it. Although I have to say the yoga/lounge pants came with some cardigans that can only be described as delicious.To follow the same vein I give you......

The biggest break with tradition award, which goes to the jammies Grandma Linda bought at Reitmans. Now that may sound like nothing to you, but for many many years all of my clothes have come from Cotton Ginny. Seriously, every stitch of it. Even as I sit here now, head to toe, I am in CG. I have three winter coats in the closet, all CG.

Best wrapping award, no question, goes to my Mom and the taped shut cardboard box that had my name written on it in magic marker. Now that's the way Christmas is supposed to be.

And finally, the enough with the damn scarves already award goes to the beginners learn to knit book from my Mom. Last night I attempted to knit a very simple (or so the book would have you believe) coin purse. As of today, in what I can only assume will be the first of many instances, I unraveled the entire thing and began again.

Well there you have it a fun little look at Christmas here at the castle. Feel free to peruse the complete Christmas pictures set here.